CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history: Haverfordwest Rural District Council (RDC) was created under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1894. It originally comprised the parishes of Ambleston, Boulston, Brawdy, Cartlett, Castlebythe, Dale, Fishguard, Freystrop, Goodwick, Granston, Hamlet of St Martins, Hamlet of St Thomas, Haroldston St Issells, Haroldston West, Hasguard, Hayscastle, Henry's Moat, Herbrandston, Hubberston, Jordanston, Letterston, Little Newcastle, Llandeloy, Llanfair Nant-y-gof, Llangwm, Llanhywel, Llanllawer, Llanrheithan, Llanrhian, Llanstinan, Llanwnda, Llanychâr, Marnawan, Marloes, Mathri, Morfil, Neyland, Nolton, North Prendergast, Pont-faen, Puncheston, Robeston West, Roch, Rudbaxton, St Brides, St Davids, St Dogwells, St Edrens, St Elvis, St Ishmael's, St Laurence, St Nicholas, Spittal, Steynton, Trefgarn, Uzmaston, Walton East, Walton West, Walwyn's Castle, Wiston and Whitchurch. Neyland, Fishguard (North) and Goodwick were made urban districts in 1900, 1906, and 1922 respectively, ceasing to form part of the council area. In 1934, Burton, Llanstadwell and Rosemarket were transferred from Pembroke Rural District. The Council comprised councillors and a chairman and inherited powers from the local highway boards and Haverfordwest Poor Law Union, acting as the Rural Sanitary Authority. Their responsibilities included sanitary services, sewerage, refuse collection, maintaining local roads, cemeteries and parks, licensing of public entertainments, water supply and housing. It also became a rating authority in 1925. RDCs were administered by a number of committees and by appointed officers including a Clerk, Treasurer, Public Health Inspector, Housing Officer, Surveyor and Rating Officer. Haverfordwest RDC was abolished in 1974 following local government reorganisation and its functions were assumed by Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council.

ACCESS AND USE

System of arrangement: Arranged into the following: Health department; Surveyor's department; Clerk's department; and Treasurer's department.

Conditions governing access: No restrictions

Conditions governing reproduction: Usual copyright regulations apply

Finding aids: Hard copies of the catalogue are available at Pembrokeshire Record Office.

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information: All records have been retained

Accruals: Accruals are not expected

Archival history: Following the abolition of the council, its papers passed to various successor bodies.

Immediate source of acquisition: Received from Mr Jeffrey, St Davids, 1976; deposited by David Bowen, Secretary to Preseli District Council, 1979, and by H. J. Dickman, formerly Clerk to Haverfordwest RDC, 1979, 1981; transferred from Modern Records, 1983; transferred by Preseli District Council, 1985; deposited by the Solicitor's Department, Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council, 1986, by R. Griffiths, Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council, 1988, by J. D. R. Nicholas, Rating Office, Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council, 1988, and by Pembrokeshire County Council's Transportation and Environment Department per the Records Management Unit, 2001; and transferred by Pembrokeshire County Council, Haverfordwest, 2002.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Related material: Further records are in Pembrokeshire Record Office, HDX/891, PCC/HE/2/163-188.

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note: Title supplied from contents of fonds. The collection includes some earlier deeds and other papers pre-dating the establishment of the Council.

Archivist's note: Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Pembrokeshire Record Office, Haverfordwest Rural District Council, catalogue; Jackson, W. Eric, The Structure of Local Government in England and Wales (London: Longmans, 1949); Hey, David, Oxford Dictionary of Local and Family History (Oxford, 1997); Richards, Melville, Welsh Administrative and Territorial Units (Cardiff, 1969).

Rules or conventions: This description follows ANW guidelines based on ISAD(G) second edition, AACR2, and LCSH